Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Galerie de l'Art Moderne, Paris
Private Collection (acquired from the above circa 1950)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Ambroise Vollard, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, tableaux, pastels et dessins, Paris, 1918, vol. II, illustrated p. 107
Ambroise Vollard, Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Paintings, Pastels and Drawings, San Francisco,💧 1989, no. 1302, illu🌜strated p. 275

The canvas is lined. UV examination reveals some scattered small areas of retouching, the most prominent of which is to the foliage of the apples. There are some flyspots in places, mainly to the upper third of the work which could be easily removed. Otherwise, this work is in overall good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Renoir's still-lifes are some of the most sensually appealing compositions of Impressionist art.  Rendered with the artist's characteristically soft palette and light touch of his brush, his compositions capture the aromatic beauty of each succulent piece of fruit. These deceptively simple still-lifes, which prov🅺ed to be wildly popular among Durand-Ruel's clients, revitalised this age-old subject with an Impressionist flair and inspired Paul Cézanne's investigation of this very theme.

'With Renoir, it is the sensual element in art that dominates', Christian Zervos once wrote, and his observations can very well be applied to Renoir's compositions of fruit. With form and construction having become for him ends in themselves and the feeling of sensuality being the very essence and the whole of his work, Renoir often managed to give new expression to things which, on their own, were devoid of character (Christian Zervos, 'Is a Return to Subject Matter Likely?', 1931, reprinted in Renoir, A Retrospective, New York, 1987, p. 311).